AP African American Studies Flashcards: The Great Migration
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 24 cards to help you master important concepts.
In what specific ways did the National Urban League help new migrants?
The Urban League assisted migrating African Americans by helping them secure housing and jobs in northern cities.
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In what specific ways did the National Urban League help new migrants?
The Urban League assisted migrating African Americans by helping them secure housing and jobs in northern cities.
What was a major economic 'pull' factor for African Americans to move North during the Great Migration?
Labor shortages in the North during World War I and World War II increased job opportunities in industrial cities, attracting African Americans seeking better economic prospects.
What environmental factors in the South pushed many Black Southerners to migrate?
Environmental issues such as floods, boll weevils, and spoiled crops impoverished many Black Southerners, compelling them to leave.
What time period did the Great Migration encompass?
The Great Migration occurred in waves from the 1910s to the 1970s.
How did the railway system specifically contribute to the Great Migration?
The railway system provided a practical and accessible means of long-distance travel, allowing millions of African Americans to physically leave the South and reach northern cities.
Define 'internal migration' using the Great Migration as an example.
Internal migration is the movement of people from one region to another within the same country, as exemplified by the relocation of six million African Americans from the U.S. South to other regions.
How did some Southern employers react to the mass departure of their Black labor force?
As underpaid Black laborers left, racial tensions increased, and employers sometimes resisted their flight, even having them unjustly arrested.
How did the Great Migration impact the demographic profile of African Americans?
The Great Migration transformed African Americans from a primarily rural population to primarily urban dwellers.
What was the Great Migration?
The Great Migration was one of the largest internal migrations in U.S. history, where six million African Americans relocated from the South to the North, Midwest, and West from the 1910s to 1970s.
What was the primary 'pull' factor that drew African Americans to the North, Midwest, and West?
The main 'pull' factor was the increase in job opportunities in industrial cities, especially due to labor shortages during the World Wars.
What was the cultural effect of the Great Migration on northern cities?
The migration infused northern cities like New York and Chicago with Black Southern culture, which helped create a shared national culture among African American communities.
What was the scale of the Great Migration in terms of population?
Approximately six million African Americans relocated from the South during the Great Migration.
What was a consequence of the flight of Black laborers on racial tensions in the South?
As underpaid and disempowered Black laborers began to leave, racial tensions increased as white employers resisted the loss of their workforce.
Summarize the primary 'push' factors that caused African Americans to leave the South.
The primary 'push' factors were economic hardship from environmental disasters, and the social dangers of lynching and racial violence in the Jim Crow South.
What two developments were essential in making the Great Migration possible on a large scale?
The establishment of a new railway system provided the means for travel, while the Black press offered encouragement and instructions for leaving the South.
Besides economic reasons, what was a primary social motivation for African Americans to leave the Jim Crow South?
African Americans relocated to escape the dangers of unmitigated lynching and racial violence, seeking safety for their families.
How did the relationship between Black Southerners and nature change after they moved to northern cities?
Migrants forged new connections to their northern environment, often engaging with nature for leisure rather than for their livelihood or labor as they had in the rural South.
Name four major cities that were transformed by the Great Migration.
Four cities significantly impacted by the infusion of Black Southern culture were New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles.
How did the Black press facilitate the Great Migration?
The Black press provided encouragement and practical instructions for African Americans who were planning to leave the South for new opportunities in the North.
What does the term 'Jim Crow South' refer to in the context of the Great Migration?
It refers to the southern states where systemic segregation, racial violence, and disenfranchisement prompted many Black people to leave in search of safety and opportunity.
What was the overall impact of the Great Migration on American culture?
The migration transformed American cities and Black communities, infusing them with Southern culture and creating a more unified national Black culture.
How did the National Urban League's work during the Great Migration connect to the later Civil Rights movement?
The Urban League later supported A. Philip Randolph’s 1941 March on Washington and worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, building on its foundation of advocacy.
How did the World Wars stimulate the Great Migration?
The wars created significant labor shortages in northern industrial cities, opening up job opportunities that appealed to African Americans seeking economic advancement.
What was the National Urban League?
Founded in 1910, the National Urban League was an interracial organization that assisted African Americans migrating from the South by helping them acclimate to northern urban life.